Hampshire Chess Association

Eriks Tregeris

Eriks Tregeris who has died aged 93 played four seasons for Eastleigh (BR) in the Southampton Chess League and played against virtually every other club in the league, both home and away. However, remarkably he did not commence his Southampton Chess League career until he was 89 years old, when he became a widower and moved down from Bradford. 

In his first season he played in the Eastleigh (BR) B team that won division 4 of the Southampton Chess League and also played for the county second team. Earlier this year he played a match for the Eastleigh (BR) A team and his courage in making the effort to play in matches even when his mobility became more restricted was a shining example to other chess players.

Eriks was born in Latvia and was playing friendly chess at Eastleigh (BR) until 6 months before his death, when it became too much for him. He is probably the oldest player both to play in the Southampton Chess League, or to represent the county.

Even though Eriks was older than his grade, I do not think there were too many players at his age who were better than him.

Malcolm Clarke

January 2003